


In The Cold Dark Earth

by bells_n_roses



Series: Aphrodite's Mark [2]
Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types
Genre: F/F, Mutual Pining, Pining, Slow burn if I have the patience, Soulmate AU, enemies to lovers (ish)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2020-10-23
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:08:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26776375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bells_n_roses/pseuds/bells_n_roses
Summary: Bella doesn’t know what to do, but, then again, when is that ever not the case? With Rosalie ignoring her and her soulmate mark getting increasingly hard to hide, she decides that a new plan of action is needed.
Relationships: Rosalie Hale/Bella Swan
Series: Aphrodite's Mark [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1781848
Comments: 76
Kudos: 366





	1. Workin' On Empty

It was cold and wet, just like every other day in Forks. Bella frowned. The pen in her hand hit the table once, twice, and then a third time before Alice gave her a look that told her to stop. It wasn't an angry look, per se, just worried---Alice had been caught up in visions all day, and, from the look of it, it had something to do Bella.

English drudged on, as bleak and generally dismal as the weather outside. With Alice on one side and Edward on the other, not to mention Jess just behind, she should have been able to at least talk herself out of the boredom. Unfortunately, there was more on her mind than just the looming midterms or uninspired portrayal of Romeo and Juliet that was playing out on the screen in front of them.

Bella jumped when Jess nudged her.

"Hey."

"Hi?"

"You're being weird."

Bella wrinkled her nose. "No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are."

"No I'm--"

"Yes, you are!" Jess sighed and leaned over so she could whisper in Bella's ear. "You've been super weird ever since the Rosalie incident last week."

Bella choked. "What?"

Jess was not meant to know about the soulmates thing.

"Yeah, yeah, don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about, I heard Alice and The Hair plotting to get Rosalie Hale to talk to you, and they said something about you two in the changing rooms---"

Bella felt her ears ripen under Jess's words. Alice and Edward were politely pretending they couldn't hear, at least, but that didn't mean she wanted any of this to be common knowledge.

"Geez, Jess, could you shut up? There are people around who could hear, y'know."

Jess raised her hands up defensively. "Okay, okay, but you owe me an explanation. What gives?"

Onscreen, Romeo mooned over his first love, Rosalyn, and Bella felt slightly sick. Sure, Romeo had known Rosalyn wasn't his soulmate, but he loved her anyway. He was capable of love even though he knew it wasn't meant to be---unlike Rosalie, who couldn't love Bella even though they were soulmates.

Bella sighed. "You know how me and Edward broke up?"

"Please, it was all awkward and dramatic and the whole school is still trying to guess why you ended it. Trust me, Bells, I know."

"Right, well, Rosalie hates because of that."

Jess raised an eyebrow. "She hates you because you broke up with her brother?"

"More like because of the reasons _why _I broke up with him. It's complicated."__

__Jess nodded. "Rosalie is one scary lady, no wonder you're so weird---she's enough to throw anyone off their groove."_ _

__"You've got no idea." From the corner of her eye, Bella could see Alice frowning. Edward, too, looked practically constipated with worry. He was like that, though, and Bella couldn't find it in her to care. She only hoped they wouldn't repeat the conversation to Rosalie._ _

__***_ _

__That afternoon, Jess walked Bella back to her car, talking at a hundred miles an hour, as per usual. Angela joined them, offering funny insights every now and then, but she mostly let Jess dominate the conversation. A few months ago, Bella would have rolled her eyes and dismissed them both as uninteresting, as silly teenage girls. She'd found a new appreciation for them, though, and their friendship._ _

__"Do you wanna go to Port Angeles this weekend?" Bella asked._ _

__Jess raised her eyebrows, remembering their last slightly disastrous trip. "Well, sure, that sounds great." Jess paused and tapped her chin in the exaggerated gesture she used to show she was thinking. "You know what, I haven't got a shift at the cafe today, so if you're both free then we can go now."_ _

__"Alright, but let me just check with my dad first," said Angela, and she stepped to the side to make the call._ _

__Jess swung her arm around Bella's shoulder and leaned in. "So," she said, making a big show of looking from side to side for anyone listening, "what's this about? What could possibly have convinced Bella 'not-like-other-girls' Swan to go to Port Angeles, when the only thing we ever do there is shopping?"_ _

__"Would you believe me if I said I got in touch with my feminine side?"_ _

__"No."_ _

__Bella laughed. From the corner of her eye she could see Alice, holding an umbrella, with Rosalie and Edward stood next to her. Edward, at least, was likely listening to her conversation --- he was like that, since he had a hard time reading her thoughts --- so Bella chose her words carefully._ _

__"I want to get something nice for the next dance."_ _

__"Get out of here --- Ange, come listen to this!" Jess beckoned to Angela, who was still on the phone to her dad. "Our Bella wants to go to the dance. I feel so proud."_ _

__Bella sighed sarcastically. "Wow, thanks, Jess."_ _

__"It's heartwarming, truly. Now, tell me, is there a reason you might suddenly want to go to the school dance?"_ _

__Bella crooked an eyebrow. "Uh... no?"_ _

__"Lies, I tell you! Lies!"_ _

__"What's this we're lying about?" Angela stepped back towards them, apparently having got the permission of her parents._ _

__"Bella's trying to make me think that she's got no motivation whatsoever for wanting to go to the dance."_ _

__"You're right, that does sound fishy."_ _

__Bella glared at Angela. "Traitor."_ _

__"Please Bella, we're just trying to help," said Jess, "besides, I think I already know what the reason is."_ _

__Bella made a disbelieving noise._ _

__"Oh, do tell." Angela maneuvered them towards her car. Jess slid into the front seat and Bella thumped down behind her, preemptively rolling her eyes._ _

__"I think Bella has a crush."_ _

__"What?" Both Angela and Bella said at the same time._ _

__"Bella's got a crush."_ _

__"No, I heard you, Jess," said Bella, "I was giving you a chance to reevaluate your very terrible decision before I actually kill you."_ _

__Jess leaned back so she could look Bella in the eye when she spoke. "I've got nothing to reevaluate, Bellsy---nothing, nada, zilch---because I'm right. You have a crush, and I know who it is."_ _

__Angela laughed. "I think you've broken Bella."_ _

__"I'm not broken, I'm just two steps away from murder."_ _

__"Aw, you're so cute when you're mad."_ _

__"Don't tease her, Jess." Angela leaned over to pat Bella's leg. "Now, spill."_ _

__Somehow, Jess managed to grin even wider. "Okay, then. Our darling little lovestruck Bella has a crush on _Rosalie Hale _."___ _

____"What?" gasped Angela. "No way!"_ _ _ _

____All Bella could do was slouch back in her seat and shake her head. She glanced once again at the far end of the car park, where she could just about see Rosalie's livid face._ _ _ _

____"I do not have a crush on Rosalie Hale."_ _ _ _

____"Yes, you do."_ _ _ _

____"No, I don't."_ _ _ _

____Jess laughed. "Oh, Bella, it is so obvious. You broke up with your boyfriend over her, and now you're going to the dance to make her jealous."_ _ _ _

____"I swear, Stanley, I am going to murder you---"_ _ _ _

____"Woah, there, tiger." Angela wagged her finger in Bella's face. "If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine. If you have a crush on Rosalie, that's also fine, and if you're gay, I want you to know that we're completely fine with that, too."_ _ _ _

____"Cool. Thanks Angela. For the record, I don't like Rosalie, she's annoying, and I don't think I'm gay. Maybe, though---I haven't decided yet."_ _ _ _

____There was a brief lull, a small silence, before the frail metal shell of the car was surrounded by the tap of new rain. It drummed against the outside and obscured the faces of everyone but her friends. Bella couldn't help but hope that it would mask their conversation, too, and make it hard for Rosalie or the rest of the Cullens to overhear anything else that would embarrass her._ _ _ _

____Angela smiled and then bit her lip. "Hey, guys?"_ _ _ _

____"Yeah?" said Jess, who seemed put out that she wouldn't get to gossip like she'd planned._ _ _ _

____"I think I might be gay."_ _ _ _

____Bella looked up. "Oh, wow, really?"_ _ _ _

____"Yeah---well, bi, I think. I've got a slight preference for girls, but I definitely did like Eric." Angela gave a shaky laugh and tucked a stray bit of hair behind her ear._ _ _ _

____"Oh, Ange, I'm so happy for you!" Bella surged forward to wrap her arms awkwardly around Angela's neck. "And I'm really glad you felt okay coming out to us."_ _ _ _

____"I was a bit scared, if I'm honest, but you're my friends. I love you guys."_ _ _ _

____Jess joined the hug, her wild hair smooshing up against both their faces. "Aww, we love you too, you big dork! Now---" she pulled her head back to look at both of them--- "we just need to figure out who we're gonna set you up with."_ _ _ _

____Bella laughed. "Honestly, Jess, could you wait, like, five minutes?"_ _ _ _

____"Never. I live for this stuff." Jess fanned her hand across her chest dramatically. "Now, are we ready to go, because I'm so ready to get Bella a dress that'll make even Rosalie Hale go _wow _."___ _ _ _

______Angela nodded and turned to Bella so she could tell her how she knew she was bi. Bella paid rapt attention, never letting eyes stray. Not even when they drove past the Cullens, where she knew Edward and Rosalie would be standing. Not even then._ _ _ _ _ _


	2. Is That The Kind Of Way To Face The Burning Heat?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bella makes new friends, organizes a sleepover, and Rosalie is confused.

The next day, Charlie decided to take Bella down to La Push to spend the evening eating fish fry and cookies at Harry Clearwater's house. It'd been years since Bella had seen any of the family, but she vaguely remembered Leah, the older girl, and her baby brother Seth. He was fourteen now, still baby-faced, but taller than both Bella and Charlie.

"Geez, kid, you've grown up," Bella said, craning her neck to look up at him.

"Just wait 'till you see Leah," Seth laughed, "she's so tall now, it's awesome."

At that moment, Leah appeared at the top of the stairs. She waved a hello at Bella, who was gawking at her---gone were the scraped knees and messy ponytails of Leah at ten, replaced by a long, lean figure and muscled arms. Bella had to snap her eyes away from her before it got weird, but she was definitely impressed by the leather jacket and aloof attitude.

During dinner, the conversation was awkward. Neither she nor Charlie were great talkers, and the fish fry was so good it demanded all their attention. Harry and Sue, however, were determined to make dinner a lively affair, and they roped Seth into their schemes.

"So, Bella, how's school going?" Harry asked.

"Alright, I guess. Settled in pretty fast, got some cool friends."

"Good to hear. Did you know Seth here's just started high school?"

Seth grinned. "Yeah, it's so cool, I'm in the same homeroom as all my friends, and Jake---you know, Jacob Black---he's in one of my classes, which is great because---"

Leah rolled her eyes from across the table, but it was obvious how much she loved her brother. The easy dynamics of the Clearwater family made Bella long to ease into them herself, to break out of that gawky, awkward air she always got around new people. She decided that, even if she was uncomfortable, the next time Charlie visited she wouldn't have to be dragged.

***

"Hey, Leah." Bella looked up from lacing her boots. Her dad was already waiting in the car, and, although Leah stood to the side, the entire Clearwater family was crowded around the door to wave them off.

"Yeah?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I like your vibes."

"Okay."

"Can I have your number? We can compare favourite songs or whatever."

Leah paused, as if waiting for her head to kick back into gear. "Uh, yeah, sure," she said eventually, "that sounds great."

Leah handed her the phone and Bella typed in her number before basically shoving it back into Leah's hands. As she did, a brief glimpse her soulmark became visible and Bella felt Leah's eyes slide onto the marked skin. It was weird; once upon a time, Bella hadn't cared who looked. Hell, most people were at least a bit curious about each other's future, and she looked plenty when given the opportunity. After Rosalie, however, it felt too private. Shameful, even.

Leah didn't say anything about it, but she smiled when she looked at the new contact on her phone. 

***

By the evening of the next day, Bella and Leah had sent each other around fifty text messages. It was mostly just cute cat pictures and playlists comprised entirely of obscure indie bands, but Bella was happy. Making friends had never been super easy for her, and, since she was avoiding the Cullens, she needed any friendship she could get. This was a definite step forward.

As was usual in Forks, it was a dark, dank day. The sky outside her classroom window was grey and murky, belonging more to the swirl of mud and water you might find at the bottom of a pond. Rain tapped against the glass in a slow, steady beat.

As she mindlessly filled in some English quiz, Bella wondered if she should rekindle her friendship with Jacob Black, too. They'd got on well the last time they spoke, even if it was mostly a fact finding mission on her part. Now that she knew about vampires, maybe they could build a more organic friendship, and then Bella could join in with Charlie's 'game nights' with the Blacks. She didn't like football, but she could try.

Beside her, Angela was struggling with the quiz. Bella glanced at her sheet and, very quietly, whispered the answer. 

Angela smiled. "Thanks. I would've got it eventually."

"I know."

"It's not graded."

"I know that, too. That means your score doesn't matter."

Angela bit her lip. Sure, the score didn't matter when it came to grades, but when it came to her self worth, that was a whole different story. She was an open book and Bella, used to the ever changing moods of Renee, was more than capable of reading her emotions.

"Maybe we should have, like, a study sleepover soon," said Bella, "Y'know, we could stay up late drinking hot chocolate and really get a crack on with the end of year exams. Maybe invite Jess and make a thing of it."

Angela raised her eyebrow. "Oh, yeah, that would be cool."

"That way you wouldn't have to worry about not doing enough, and I could tell you to chill out when you get too stressed."

A beat passed as Angela filled in the next answer on her sheet. "You're a good friend, Bella."

"Thanks, I try."

***

Rosalie shoved her lunch tray onto the table with far more force than necessary, and the rest of the Cullen family turned to look at her. As she slid into the seat, lips pressed together, Rosalie picked up a carrot slice from her tray and flung it at Edward.

"Hey!" he said, batting it away with his arm.

"What did you do?" Rosalie demanded. She picked up a piece of cucumber and held it threateningly.

"I didn't do anything!

"You obviously did, because Bella's not sitting with us. What did you do to upset her?"

Edward narrowly dodged the cucumber slice. "Nothing, I swear---she's allowed to go sit with her little human friends instead, you know."

"I don't believe you. If you've done something idiotic, Edward, I swear I'll---"

"Kill me, murder me, rip out my intestines... I know the drill, Rosalie. What do you care if Bella doesn't sit with us? You don't even like her."

"None of your business."

Edward tapped his wrist. "Is it because of..."

"Don't talk about the soulmate marks. I don't care where _the girl _sits, I just don't want you embarrassing this family."__

__"Right, right."_ _

__Rosalie glanced subtly across the room, to the table were Bella sat with her human friends. She was slumped over a slice of pizza, her face half obscured by hair, and her shoulders shook a little as she laughed at some joke made by Mike Newton. That was strange---Bella didn't usually laugh at Mike Newton's jokes. Rosalie frowned and looked away._ _

__"Why is she over there, then, if you haven't done something to annoy her?" she asked, looking down at her nails in fake nonchalance._ _

__"I think that might actually be my fault." Alice slid into the seat next to Rosalie without so much as a noise from her lunch tray. "Or, rather, our fault. Bella's a bit put out with us at the moment."_ _

__"Put out?"_ _

__"She feels like we've been 'ganging up' on her, and like she can't talk to anyone when she's upset."_ _

__Rosalie tapped her fingernails against the table. "She was serious about that? I thought... I thought she'd be okay if Jasper stopped trying to calm her down all the time."_ _

__Alice shrugged. "People are complicated, Rose, and she's got a lot on her plate at the moment."_ _

__Across the room, Bella put a hand on Angela's shoulder and whispered some joke to her. When Angela threw her head back, laughing, Rosalie flinched._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right, so, I've decided that some of the pack are going to be included, but the werewolf thing not going to be something specific to the Quileute tribe (because, Stephenie Meyer, that's racist), and I'm not even sure if I'll include the shifting (because, again, that's racist). If I do make a misstep or write something insensitive, please tell me. As a white non-American, I don't have any expertise and--while I'll do my best to research and avoid stereotypes--I know that I'm likely to mess up.
> 
> Move to Higher Ground link: https://mthg.org/
> 
> Other notes for this chapter:  
> This is slightly shorter than I wanted it, but I've had it sat in my drafts for nearly two weeks and I figured it was better to post than keep you waiting. I hope it's okay and that you like it. All feedback/comments are welcome :)  
> Have a lovely day :)


	3. I Just Think About My Baby

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike fails to take a hint, Bella struggles with geography, and Rosalie attempts an adult conversation

Weekends without the Cullens were hard. Edward and Alice were her best friends, and, between Alice's shopping trips and Edward's love of hanging out to read with her, Bella had been almost sociable. Now, though, she had a lot of time on her hands.

Bella reread Wuthering heights; she cleaned her room; she texted Leah. Mostly, she laid back in bed and wondered how long she'd need before her anger cooled down. She lifted up the sleeve of her shirt and stared at her soulmark, wondering how something that was meant to make her happy had accidentally messed up two of her closest friendships. She tried not to blame Rosalie, but, in the quietest corners of her mind, she was angry at her, too.

***

"So, Bella," Mike began. He lent against the table, smirking, as usual, with his hair flicked up in a way that was suspiciously close to Edward's usual style. "The dance is coming up."

Bella looked up from her peanut butter sandwich and mentally willed Jess to come save her. "Yes, Mike," she said, "it is."

"And you and Cullen aren't a thing anymore."

"How exceptionally observant of you, Mike."

Angela snorted, but he didn't get the hint. Instead, Mike slid into the seat next to Bella, the cloying smell of his aftershave invading the space between them.

"I was wondering if maybe you wanted to go with me," he said.

"Oh. Well..." Bella glanced across the cafeteria, to the table where Rosalie sat, head turned away. If Bella hadn't known any better, she'd say her fist was clenched. Unfortunately, she did know better, and she knew that there was no way Rosalie cared who she went out with. It wasn't like she would be betraying Rosalie if she said yes to Mike...

She would be betraying Jess, however.

Bella sighed. She didn't even want to date Mike, she just wanted to prove she _could _date someone, if she wanted to. Even if Rosalie had made it abundantly clear that person would not be her.__

__"I'm sorry, Mike," Bella said, after a moment, "I'm not going to the dance."_ _

__"But Jess said you were."_ _

__Bella swore internally. She'd never been a good liar. "I was thinking about it--I'm not sure now."_ _

__"Oh. Okay." Mike frowned, his eyes round like a wounded puppy. "Maybe next time?"_ _

__"Uh, maybe," she said, and prayed that she was noncommittal enough. She glanced up to the lunch counter, where Jess was still getting her food, and then back to the Cullen's table. Rosalie was staring right at her._ _

__Oh._ _

__For once, Bella didn't look away. She kept here eyes trained on Rosalie, on the blonde hair and gold eyes and tight purse of her lips. Like the rest of her family, she was beautiful, but there was something else about her--an ethereal quality, as though she didn't quite belong to this early--that made something catch in Bella's throat._ _

__Rosalie was the first to look away._ _

__***_ _

__"I need you to stop ignoring my sister."_ _

__Bella looked up, startled, from her geography homework, and focused on the living renaissance statue in front of her. The spit froze in her mouth as realized that _yes _, Rosalie Hale was standing in front of her.___ _

____"What?"_ _ _ _

____"Stop ignoring my sister."_ _ _ _

____Bella scrunched up her face. "I'm not ignoring her."_ _ _ _

____"You haven't texted her in a week."_ _ _ _

____"She hasn't texted me!"_ _ _ _

____"Well," Rosalie huffed, "sort it out. She's annoying me."_ _ _ _

____Bella rolled her eyes and picked back up her geography book. She was painfully aware of the rest of the library staring at them--it wasn't every day that Rosalie Hale deigned to talk to one of the common folk, after all--but she pretended not to notice. "Whatever," Bella said._ _ _ _

____Rosalie pressed her hands against the table and leaned towards Bella, her face unreadable save for the tiny set in her jaw. "Don't be rude, Swan."_ _ _ _

____"Says you!"_ _ _ _

____"Ugh, you're so childish."_ _ _ _

____Bella stuck out her tongue._ _ _ _

____"I can't believe you're meant to be my--" Rosalie scowled, not even willing to finish the sentence. Her nose was barely an inch away from Bella's, and, when she looked up, Bella could feel the tickle of Rosalie's hair against her face._ _ _ _

____"Yeah, well, neither can I," she said._ _ _ _

____"You don't have to take it out on Alice."_ _ _ _

____Bella slammed her book down on the table. "I'm not 'taking it out' on Alice. I'm angry with her because she refuses to have an honest conversation with me, and because she lets Jasper run amok with my emotions. I'm angry at Edward and the rest of your family for keeping me in the dark, and I'm angry with _you _for your refusal to have a single _adult _conversation with me. 'Taking it out' implies that I'm being unfair, or that none of you have done anything to upset me, which isn't true," she hissed, "it just isn't."_____ _ _ _

________Rosalie stiffened. Her arms, taunt against the table, were as still as her face as she seemed to process the sudden outburst._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"You're... angry."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Yes. Obviously."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Oh."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Bella couldn't imagine what was going on in Rosalie's head, or how any of this was a surprise. She watched with suspicion as Rosalie's arms relaxed, and then as she stood up._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"If you talk to Alice, I'll have an _adult conversation _with you."___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Bella raised her eyebrow. "About the soulmarks?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________"No. About your geography homework. Your essay needs work." She turned away, her heels clicking against the paneled floor. "Text Alice."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________***_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Bells: _ur sister sucks _____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Alice-the-vamp: _i know _____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Bells: _she insulted my essay _____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Alice-the-vamp: _she's trying. glad ur speaking to me. i missed you _____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Bells: _yeah, i missed u too _____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________***_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________The next study period, Bella was interrupted yet again. Without so much as a sound, Rosalie slid into the seat next to her and spread out her study materials on the desk. When Bella looked up, she jumped._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"I didn't see you there," she gasped._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"Clearly."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"Have you come to moan at me again?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Rosalie scowled. "No. I've come to help you with your essay, like I promised. Alice stopped bugging me about you, so I figured you kept to your side of the bargain."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"I guess."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"She said you texted her five minutes after I left._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"Yeah, well," Bella grumbled, "I missed her anyways."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"I'm sure."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________They sat in silence for a minute, neither of them quite sure what to say. The boundaries hadn't been drawn up yet, the rules of there relationship were nonexistent; for once, even Rosalie was wading through unknown territory. Bella glanced at her and then away. She wasn't even sure where to look._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Rosalie tapped her pen--a red fountain pen, because of course it was--against the table. "What's your essay on?" she asked._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"Population growth in developing countries."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"That's less basic than I thought."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Bella snapped her head back around to glare at her. "Hey, just a quick question, but has anyone ever punched you in the face?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Rosalie arched an impeccable eyebrow. "Not any who've lived to tell the tale."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"Right." Bella slumped back in her chair. She watched as Rosalie picked up her essay and read it over, gold eyes gleaming._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"You need to use more sources," Rosalie said, "and you need to make your conclusion stronger."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"Alright."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Rosalie narrowed her eyes. Her entire body was stiff, as though she were trying to hold herself in place with every breath. "Do you actually want to pass this class?" she asked._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Bella laughed. "Might as well fail--I'm already failing Health and Social Studies."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"What do you mean?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Bella shrugged._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"I thought you were smart."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"Look, we're studying soulmates, Rosalie--" she pointed a finger at Rosalie's chest "--and I can't answer any of the questions because I don't want to upset you, and, shockingly, that doesn't make for a good grade."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Rosalie stood up, her chair clattering against the table legs. She turned around, red fountain pen still in hand, and left the room._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Bella watched as she left, half angry, half upset, and her eyes stayed trained on the door even after Rosalie was gone._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is... shorter than I wanted, and not as plot-moving as I would've hoped. Oh well, life happens. Funnily enough, one of the reasons I haven't got time for fanfiction is because I'm doing an EPQ on... wait for it... fanfiction. The irony, huh?  
> If anyone of you have a good answer for the question 'why do people read fanfiction?' please comment it--I need primary resources, lol.  
> Anyway, I hope you like this chapter, and that you have a great day. Keep safe.


	4. I'm So Full Of Love I Can Barely Eat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bella and Leah hang out, Rosalie is suspiciously absent, I make the Bella/Angela shippers mad, and the human girl gang have a pillow fight instead of studying.

Bella sat in the back of her truck, a blanket wrapped around her legs, while Leah played some mobile game next to her. Around them, the crickets made their cricket-y noises, and wind blew through the trees. The night was falling fast, colouring the sky with the pink and purple streaks of sunset; if Bella had been in the mood for it, she would have thought it beautiful.

"Do you ever just get, like, so mad at someone?" she said.

"Sure. Seth steals my food all the time."

"No, I mean really mad, like, I'm-gonna-do-something-really-stupid-kind-of-mad."

"What's up, Swan?"

Bella shrugged. "Some girl being rude."

"If I knew it was that easy to upset you, I wouldn't've tried to pour fish fry over your head last week."

"Ha ha, very funny."

The game on Leah's phone pinged and she frowned; Bella wondered if she was losing. They were silent for a moment until, after the third ping of Leah's phone, she shoved the device back into her pocket and shuffled closer to Bella.

"Do I need to go punch this girl?"

Bella smiled. She couldn't imagine anyone punching Rosalie and living to tell the tale. "Nah, don't worry about it. It's just complicated."

"Yeah?"

"She won't talk to me, even though we desperately need to."

"I thought you said she was rude?"

"That too."

Leah nudged Bella with her elbow. "Do you wanna talk about it?" she asked.

Bella sighed. "Yes? Kind of? I can't really tell you anything, not without telling you more than I should."

"Please explain that with normal people words."

"I just... know she wouldn't be comfortable with me telling the real problem, I guess."

Leah nodded. The light had dimmed further, and the stars were just starting to poke out from behind the cloudbank. When Bella looked up, she thought she saw on shooting across the sky. With a second look, actually, it seemed more like a satellite.

"Is there anything I can do to cheer you up?" Leah asked. The levity hadn't quite left her voice, but there was a softness there now.

Bella rolled her head back so she couldn't see Leah anymore, just the stars. A chill breeze passed over them, ruffling their hair and biting at their ears, and Bella shivered. "Just being here is enough. I wish we got to hang out more."

"There's nothing stopping us."

"True." Bella paused, rolling the idea around in her mind. "I'm having a sleepover soon to catch up with studying--literally, we're just gonna stay up going over flashcards and stuff--"

"--you're such a nerd--"

"--shut up. Do you want to come? It'll just be me and Angela and Jess; I think I've talked about them before."

Leah laughed. "You talk a lot, Swan."

"Will you come?"

"Sure. Maybe I can convince you to be less of a nerd."

Bella shoved her shoulder and Leah yelled out, half laughing.

***

They really had started out with the best of intentions--really, they had.

Angela had arrived first, a stack of coloured paper for the flashcards and pastel highlighters piled up in her arms; Jess came laden with all the best snacks, from cupcakes to popcorn and soda, and Leah... Leah brought her textbooks and a stack of what looked suspiciously like DVDs. When they got to Bella's room, they were well prepared--nothing was going to stop them on their mission to better grades.

The first to fall was Jess. After an hour of making mind maps and doodling in the margin of her notes, she took a phone break and never got off. Angela was so engrossed in getting quizzed by Bella that she didn't notice, and it wasn't long before Leah, too, had set down her textbook and joined Jess up on Bella's bed.

Bella kept a careful eye on them, even as Angela turned the quizzing on her and she had to start talking about the dreaded geography. Leah was a pretty chill person; she'd made fast friends with Jess, and won Angela over with a compliment about her scrunchie--this wasn't exactly surprising, but Bella had worried about it a lot before the sleepover. She felt like Leah was a very different type of friend compared to her school friends, and her experience with mixing her vampire and human relationships hadn't exactly been good. This, though... this was good.

"Next question," said Angela, "what's the power house of the cell?"

"Uhh..."

"Oh, I know this one!" cried Jess, "it's the mitochondria!"

Angela laughed. "Bella, aren't you good at biology?"

Bella shrugged. "Sometimes you can be so good that you're actually bad."

"That sounds like BS," said Jess, "just accept that I beat you!"

"Never." Bella launched towards the bed, grabbing a pillow. She swung it at Jess, who shrieked with laughter, and watched as Leah dodged out of the way.

Jess rolled off the bed and grabbed one of the other pillows to strike back with. Leah joined her, and soon they were in a full out pillow war.

"Oh my goodness, guys," Angela laughed, "I can't believe you."

Bella landed another blow on top of Leah's head. "Yeah, well, sometimes you just can't fight the urge to whack Jess."

"Hey!" Jess cried, and Bella promptly whacked her with the pillow.

Leah laughed, and they carried on Angela joined in, red faced and anxious not to accidentally hurt someone.

A few minutes later, they collapsed onto the bed, bright eyed and panting. The flashcards--which had previously been stacked neatly in a colour coordinated pile--were scattered all over the room, and one was even stuck in Bella's hair. She laughed and plucked it out.

"I don't think I'm really in the mood for studying anymore," said Leah.

"Me neither."

"What should we do, then?" Jess asked.

Bella tapped her chin. "I don't know."

"What about spin the bottle?" said Angela.

"Ang!"

"I can't believe you, of all people, would suggest spin the bottle!"

Angela went bright red. She shrugged her shoulders, clearly embarrassed. "it was just a suggestion..."

"No, no," said Jess, "we can do it. Bella, are there any empty bottles or anything?"

"I'll check in the recycling." Bella hurried off into the kitchen. After a minute of rifling through the big box beneath the sink, she found one of Charlie's empty beer bottles. Perfect.

When she got back upstairs, the others were sat in a circle, waiting for her. Bella sat down between Angela and Jess and placed the bottle in the middle. "What are the rules?" she asked.

"Whoever it lands on, has to either kiss you or give you a dare," said Angela, "your choice."

"And whoever it last landed on is the next one to spin," Jess chimed in.

"Right."

Leah nudged her. "Have you never played spin the bottle before?" she asked.

"Not really."

"Cool. Okay, well, I'll go first."

Leah twisted her hand around the bottle and then let it loose. It span round once, twice, three times before landing squarely on Jessica.

"Kiss or dare, Leah." Jess waggled her eyebrows.

"Dare, definitely."

Jess cocked her head to the side. "Should I feel offended?"

Bella laughed. "Dunno. What's your dare?"

"Go lick the radiator."

"Ew--" Bella began, but before she could tell Leah not to, Leah had gone and stuck her tongue against the metal. "That is actually grim."

Leah smiled. "I don't back down from a dare---and you better believe I'm gonna get you back for that, Stanley."

Jess paled, her eyes wide. "I might have made a huge mistake."

"Oh, you definitely have."

***

Bella was half drunk on laughter when the bottle landed on her. Angela had been the one to spin it, and she looked up at Bella with that shy fondness that she always did. Of all her friends, Angela was the easiest to read.

"Do you want a dare, then?" Bella asked.

Angela made a move half way between a nod and a shake of the head. "I don't know," she said, "I've never kissed anyone before."

"Me neither."

"Really?" Jess demanded, "not even Edward-fricking-Cullen?"

"Nope."

"HOW can you date the HOTTEST BOY IN SCHOOL and just NOT kiss him?"

Bella shrank back, giggling. "Jeez, Jess, I didn't know you'd take it as a personal offence."

"YEAH, WELL--"

"Hold your horses, there, Stanley," said Leah, "this boy obviously wasn't that hot."

Jess looked like she was about to pass out.

"I think we've broken Jessica," Angela whispered.

"I think you might be right." Bella whispered back.

Leah snorted. "Can you too just make out already--we need to distract brain-melt over here."

Bella crooked an eyebrow questioningly at Angela, who went even redder.

"Alright then," Angela said.

Bella didn't have time to way up her options before Angela had crawled onto her lap and placed a pair of soft hands around her face. "Is this okay?" Angela asked.

"Uh... yup. Yep. Yessiree," said Bella, like an idiot.

Angela smiled, and then leaned forwards to press her lips against Bella's mouth. Slowly, hesitantly, with the kind of confidence that comes from a solid friendship, she drew away and then back again, landing another chaste kiss on Bella's lips.

Bella kissed her back, tasting the strawberry lip balm Angela wore, and wondering if it was normal for a straight girl to enjoy kissing her friend as much as she was. She threaded a hand through Angela's hair and brought her back once more.

When they broke away, Bella could feel the hot red patches blooming across her face. Angela stayed perched on top of her, and Jess's mouth was wide open.

"Okay, Bella," Leah said nonchalantly, though she was grinning, "your turn to spin."

***

"So, I think I might be gay," said Bella. 

Angela, who'd been glancing anxiously at the clock as they made their way history, looked up. "What makes you think that?"

"The sleepover."

"What about it?"

Bella stared at Angela, disbelief clouding her face. "The kissing, duh."

"Oh, I see. Were you not expecting much?"

Bella scuffed her feet against the linoleum of the hallway. "I dunno. Maybe I'm bi. Maybe I'm just not used to it."

"That could explain it. I was a bit surprised by it all, if I'm honest--I guess first kisses are just like that. Leah and Jess were pretty into it, and they're both straight."

"I don't think Leah is--or Jess, either, for that matter. And both of them have definitely kissed people before."

Down the corridor, Edward was staring at them--because of course he was--and Bella sighed. "It's just confusing, Ang. My soulmate..." she trailed off, realizing what she was about to say.

"What about your soulmate?"

"Nothing." Bella pulled her sleeve down into her palm to make certain that her soulmark didn't show. "Nothing," she repeated.

When she looked behind them, Edward was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Bella and Angela are each other's first kisses, yes this is because I think it can be better to have your first be with someone you trust, no strings attached, yes, this is loosely based on my own experience. No, I will not say whether I'm Bella, Angela, Jess, or Leah in this equation.
> 
> Welp, that's the end of this part of the series! I was thinking about taking a bit more time and making it longer, but I'm about to throw myself into uni applications and EPQ stuff, so I'm not likely gonna have much time to write for at least another week, probably longer. Ugh, real life sucks--what I wouldn't give to spend my days writing and petting cats!  
> In slightly happier news, I had a nice bonding moment with a friend, and I've still got a few oreos left that my sister isn't allowed to touch.
> 
> If you liked this chapter, please comment--I could do with the serotonin, lol
> 
> A big thank you to everyone who answered my fanfiction question last time--they were super helpful, and anymore insight is very welcome. If I can ask another question, what do you think about how draconian copyright laws can be? I know there's a big debate around who owns ideas and for how long. I found some cool Youtube videos on it actually, where people debated that, due to Death of The Author, as soon as you read something it's just as much yours as it is anyone else's, and it's not immoral to use other people's worlds as a jumping off point.
> 
> It was a really interesting way of looking at it, since no one nowadays has a problem with using tales like King Arthur or Greek myths, but if the creator was alive in the last century we get really uptight about it. I guess the debate really centres around the way we only value art or creativity if you can make money from it, and copyright laws are designed to give companies like Disney the sole right to make money off art. Not that I think we should get rid of copyright completely, just that it seems wrong to let corporations own huge swaths of culture.
> 
> Anyway! Enough about me ranting. I hope you all have a great day, and that you stay safe :)

**Author's Note:**

> Yikes, this was hard to write. It really is getting self indulgent now-- I always figured Angela was gay/bi/pan/queer in some way--and I may or may not be basing some of these conversations on ones I've had in real life. Not telling you whether I was Bella, Jessica, or Angela, though.  
> I hope you guys like this, even if it doesn't really go anywhere. Mostly I was just setting up for the next big plot thingy.  
> I hope you have a lovely day :)


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